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While many visitors to Arizona envision warm temperatures, winter skiing is common at the state's higher altitudes. Flagstaff is home to the Arizona Snowbowl, Sunrise Park Resort is on the Apache reservation in the White Mountain,; the Kaibab National Forest near Williams is the home of Elk Ridge Ski Area, and Tucson's Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is the southernmost ski area in the United States.

Flagstaff Ski Rentals

At an altitude of 7,000 feet, Flagstaff has a snowfall average of more than 100 inches a year. Rent equipment by the piece or get a package deal from First Chair Rentals; pants, jackets, goggles and adult-size helmets are available, too. The Ski Haus in downtown offers full- and half-day rentals on skis and snowboards. Humphrey Summit Ski is Flagstaff's oldest ski shop. Drive up the mountain and check conditions before renting; Snowbowl's Hart Prairie Lodge has a rental service on the lower level.

White Mountain Ski Rentals

Sunrise Park Resort rents equipment from its store on site at Sunrise. It's open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily during downhill ski season, and skiers can choose packages for one, two or three days at a time. Stop at the Skier's Edge Ski Shop in Pine Top on the way to Sunrise for long-term rentals of a week or more. Elevate Ride Shop in Lakeside is ready to rent skis, snow runners and snow jumpers for winter fun.

Williams Area Ski Rentals

Skiers heading to the Elk Ridge Ski Area on the Kaibab National Forest travel through Williams, home of the Williams Ski and Patio. In season, the store has rental plans for both new and used equipment. Call ahead to make sure equipment will be ready for your adventure. Rent skis, snowboards and inner tubes on site from the store at Elk Ridge on weekends.

Other Arizona Ski Rentals

Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona averages 175 inches of snow a year. Rent ski and snowboarding equipment on the mountain from Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. The Sports Authority rents snow skis and equipment; in Tucson, stores are located at 5185 South Calle Santa Cruz and 4225 North Oracle Road. While many REI stores sell or rent downhill equipment, REI at 160 West Wetmore Road in Tucson rents snowshoes only. Skiers flying into Phoenix can rent skis from Ski Pro.

Considerations

Weather varies wildly from one part of the state to another and all four ski areas rely on natural snow rather than snow-making equipment. Each area aims to open in early December, but opening as late as Christmas Day is not unusual. Allow plenty of time for travel from in-town rental locations to the slopes. Check with the AZ511 network of phone and Internet road condition updates; roads from Phoenix and Tucson that climb out of the desert to higher elevations are sometimes closed due to winter driving conditions. On-site rental desks close earlier than other services. Ask questions about refunds before reserving equipment in advance.

Disclosure

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

About the Author

Karen Sweeny-Justice is a writer living in Surprise, Ariz. Her work has appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine and "RubberStampMadness" magazine, as well as in newspapers around the United States. She also writes book reviews for "RT Book Reviews" magazine.